The invention relates to a method for reducing the air humidity in a housing. The invention further relates to a drying device and a vehicle, in particular a rail vehicle comprising such a drying device.
Electrical, electronic or mechanical components and parts are sensitive relative to humidity in the ambient air. These components are used in many different types of devices. Thus, for example, printed circuit boards of electronic devices are constructed from electrical or electronic components. Prolonged humidity puts these components at risk so that these components malfunction more frequently than components operated in dry conditions. This affects all or at least almost all electronic components and devices which are constructed from electrical, electronic or mechanical components.
A particular problem arises in applications which are operated in non air-conditioned or non temperature-adjusted environments. The air humidity potentially present in this environment may lead to condensation and thus to humidity on the components. Similarly, a fluctuation of temperatures leads to condensation of the humidity from the air on the components. This condensation reduces the service life of the components so that these components malfunction more frequently than components operated in dry conditions. Moreover, due to the humidity, corrosion may prevent a safe and reliable operation of these components and the systems constructed therefrom.
In particular in tropical countries it has proved advantageous in this case to install such arrangements, as described above, in relatively airtight cabinets and/or to introduce desiccants into these cabinets. The desiccant then has to be replaced periodically. Depending on the ambient humidity, this may result in very short replacement times of a few days. This has a negative impact on the availability of such systems due to the short maintenance intervals which are present. At the same time, the maintenance costs for the operation of these systems consequently rise.